The Chief Executive of the National Public Procurement Authority (NPPA) assumed office on June 14, 2018. The NPPA came into being with the enactment of the Public Procurement Act of 2004 as repealed and replaced by the Public Procurement Act of 2016 with an authority to regulate, monitor and advise Government on all Public Procurement related issues on goods, works and services across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies.
During the past decade, particularly leading to 2018, the Authority was not adequately delivering on its mandates as stipulated in the Public Procurement Act, 2016. There was low level of robustness in ensuring compliance with due processes, procedures and the law coupled with little awareness of the vital role the Authority was established to accomplish. As a result of the aforementioned, negative public perception of the Authority emerged; thus eroding donor and government confidence in the Authority. The infrastructural status and institutional operations of the Authority were at low ebb thus negatively affecting staff moral yielding low productivity.
In April 2018, a new political dispensation was ushered in Sierra Leone after the 2018 General and Presidential elections. The new government of His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio came with its own agenda and policies which saw the appointment of the Chief Executive of NPPA, Ibrahim Brima Swarray on 14th June 2018.
The current Chief Executive with over a 10-year experience in the field of Public Procurement assumed office at the NPPA with a vision to turn around the institution that was considered a dormant institution and one that was perceived as corrupt and inefficient.
His vision is to transform the institution both in terms of infrastructure and operations, and to ensure compliance with the due processes and procedures of Public Procurement.
In addressing the weaknesses inherited in the institution in terms of infrastructure and operations, the vision of the new leadership has been translated into face-lifting the institution and the implementation of stringent and robust measures. He has succeeded in a short period to restore public, donor and government trust in the institution as interaction with donors has been enhanced coupled with regular public interface through the media and other outlets. Additional staff members have been recruited to enhance the monitoring and evaluation functions of the Authority whilst regional offices for the South and East have been established in Bo and Kenema.
The Authority will tomorrow officially commission a historical and well located NPPA Office in Kenema at 196 Hangha Road. With Regional Offices in the North (Makeni), South (Bo) and East (Kenema), Public Procurement is now decentralized and Republic-Centred under the administrative leadership of President Julius Maada Bio whose vision was and continues to be to block all leakages in the Public Procurement landscape.
The NPPA’s rigid monitoring of Public Procurement processes and procedures; and its strict requirements for diligent compliance has resulted to the saving of Hundreds of Millions of Leones and dollars.
When the Chief Executive of NPPA, Ibrahim Brima Swarray assumed office, the Authority had only 17 staff. He has worked diligently to greatly increase the staff strength of the institution to over 112 in order to make the institution more effective and productive.
The Authority continues to work towards the introduction and implementation of the Electronic Government Procurement (e-GP). When fully implemented, the e-GP will enhance transparency, accountability, fairness, accuracy in reporting, security of bids, streamlined government process and maximized time and energy of all parties involved in Public Procurement as opposed to the current Manual system.
The Management, Board of the Authority, staff and several invited dignitaries will storm the Eastern Region City of Kenema in the installation of the first Regional Procurement Office in the 3Ks (Kenema, Kailahun and Kono Districts) on 4th June 2021 at 10am.
